Diamond in the rough
by Lisij
Summary: One of the two possible sequels to "I can't die". The Lone Wanderer left the Capital Wasteland to forget her past, though unfolding events make it difficult to leave her old life behind and once again the Lone Wanderer gets pulled into a war she didn't want to be a part off.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _(Recording start)_

" _ **Year 2282 recording session one of "Behind the Courier"**_

 _(Clears throat)_

" _ **Alright Miss…?"**_

" _Just call me Cass."_

" _ **Alright. So Cass you've been traveling with the Courier for some time now, you've seen firsthand what the woman is capable of and how she took over Hoover Dam for the NCR. Is that right?"**_

" _Yep, sure is."_

" _ **Alright, what I'm trying to do is to show people back home that the Courier is not some big, elaborate fairy tale, but just a human as the rest of us. It will surely be good if they can get a glance behind the Courier persona and see the woman behind it. I was hoping that you would answer some of my questions if that's alright with you?"**_

" _Go ahead. I sure as shit haven't got anything better to do, since she left me here."_

" _ **Leave you? Why would she leave you here? Weren't you together at the Battle of Hoover Dam?**_

 _ **(**_ _Frustrated Sigh)_

" _I don't know. I honestly don't give a shit by now. One day she came into this bar and bought my Caravan for that Bitch McLafferty and asked me to join her mad quest across the Mojave. At least we got McLafferty in the process."_

" _ **Yes, I heard about that. It was big news back home. What exactly happened?"**_

" _Why the fuck do you care anyway? She's dead, that's all that matters."_

" _ **I understand you have personal feelings in the matter Cass, but the story would really help people back home understand your side in all of this and inevitably the decision you and the Courier made that day."**_

" _Look, I'll give you the short version. McLafferty and the Van Graffs tried to screw me and my Caravan over and they paid the price for it. Let's leave it at that."_

 _(Feet shuffling and chair creaks)_

" _ **Alright, I didn't mean to upset you. Now how about we start at the beginning? When did you meet the Courier?"**_

" _I remember as if it were yesterday…"_

The wind was blowing through the open windows of the fast moving vehicle and the cool breeze felt like heaven in the hot desert the Lone Wanderer was driving through. It had been two years since she left the Capital Wasteland behind and made her way west to find a new purpose. The Brotherhood of Steel was more than capable to defend the region and she made sure to leave them a note with all her secret stashes, so the better equipped soldiers would be able to take on any serious threat. Admittingly she left to forget Amata, who's Death she blamed herself for.

It was hard to cope with the fact that the once thriving, though sometimes oppressive Vault was empty like every other Vault in the Capital Wasteland. She spent many weeks in the cold, empty rooms walking around mourning and thinking of better times. At first she cried, the full realization of the emptiness hitting her once she cleared out all the bodies, but after a while she didn't feel anything but loneliness and regret. The Outcasts she burned, but the Vault residents she buried, as she felt that they deserved a proper burial. The Vault door stayed close and she refused to let anyone in, fearing that if she did, she would lose her mind. Suicide hadn't been an option, because she knew whatever choice she would take it always ended with one side losing. So she decided to leave and to try and forget everything.

A few weeks past and the Wanderer put together a plan of how to fix up one of the cars lying around in the Wasteland. It was probably her most ambiguous schematic she created and it did take some time before she could set the repairs in motion. First she searched for an optimal car body and afterwards she had used the old Vault robot to bring her the parts piece by piece. They only ventured out at night, because she couldn't risk being seen and worse she didn't want to be seen by Sarah. It was hard enough to save her life and she didn't want that to change. Getting the car body was easy enough, as the old Chryslus Building offered enough parts and a suitable car body to get her project started. The difficult part was getting the electronics and the parts for the engine. She scavenged the various Vaults and even went back to Raven Rock to find anything of value. It was the hardest part, but after she jury rigged some equipment her self-made engine roared to life. She used some old Vault mattresses to build a few seats into the car and destroyed multiple Vault computers to build working headlights. Another difficulty she faced was to hide the car. She couldn't build it inside the Vault, only small parts were created there. The bulk was hidden in the Garage above Vault 112. Few people ventured that far outside D.C. and fewer made it through the wilderness. The closer one stayed to the Citadel the safer it was.

After she was done and finished she drove the car in the safety of darkness to Vault 101 and grabbed enough purified water, food, weapons, ammunition and repair tools to last her for months and left her past behind. The destination didn't matter. Over the time the Wanderer helped out a few selected communities but in the end she never stayed to long in one place. The vehicle made her notorious and she kept it safe from anyone who dared to steal it. It was probably one of the most prized objects in the post-apocalyptic world. She had to make many stop along the way and search for fuel, but after some time she optimized the engine to use energy cell as the secondary power source, so she wouldn't get stuck in one place. The problem was that the energy weapons she brought along were all but useless afterwards. She had to preserve as much every energy cells as possible.

A radio was built into the car as well, though it was as much of a help to navigate through foreign terrain as it was a way to play music. The occasional radio transmission was caught by her Pip-boy and she made sure to check the locations for anything valuable. So it was that one day she received the signal of the "New Vegas Radio Station". Intrigued by the old man's voice she kept hearing regularly she set a new course and drove towards the direction the signal kept transmitting. The Wanderer learned of a brooding war between two factions and a strange feeling of déjà vu overcame her. She quickly learned that reliving her life many times did some damage to her brain as she couldn't recall certain events any more. Sometimes painful migraines hit her and she blacked out, not being able to bear the pain. She would wake up feeling dizzy with her nose bleeding and she knew that dying and cheating death had started to take a toll. All this was her own theory though and one day she had to visit a proper doctor and let her be examined for she feared that would go insane, because she didn't trust Death to do its job.

The Wanderer had been driving for a while trough the open desert terrain and thought about setting up camp the next time she would come along a cave or tall rocks, as they were the safest spot, but she had to stop the car when she noticed a few shapes in the distance, next to a couple of desert cacti. She brought the car to a halt and exited it to get a better view through her sniper rifle. She could make out five silhouettes who were circling around a sixth. She immediately thought of raiders and adjusted her lenses to give her a closer look at the situations. Upon closer inspection it looked like a woman was fending off her attackers with a knife. Five men, dressed in unusual red outfits and sunglasses were circling and baiting her with machetes and the Wanderer contemplated whether to help the woman or leave her to her fate. Uniforms were never a good sign, as they most likely belonged to a group of people who again were part of a faction or organization and she tried to stay neutral as possible since leaving the Capital Wasteland behind. But since they were pretty much in the middle of the desert she decided to help the woman. Before she could fire a shot though, one of the men raised his machete and cut the woman's right arm clean off. The woman dropped to her knees clutching her arm tightly and rolled around on the ground, most likely from the pain. The Wanderer cursed internally and fired a shot at the attacker, hitting him cleanly in the head. The four other men, alerted by their dead comrade, started to search the area, but before they could react another shot killed one of them. They started to spread out but the Wanderer was able to kill one more before the last two disappeared behind a huge sand hill.

She instantly put her rifle away and got in her car. She quickly pushed in the first gear and gradually sped up the car, driving towards the bleeding woman on the ground. When she arrived she rushed towards the whimpering woman who looked pleadingly up to her and showed her the bleeding arm.

"Please…help me!" the woman begged with a painful expression and crawled towards the Wanderer.

Having years of medical experience the Wanderer wasn't fazed by the bloody sight and quickly pulled the woman up and supported her while she dragged her towards her car. She opened the trunk and let the woman sit down while she got her medical supplies from inside the car. She gave her some Med-X to ease the pain and made work to disinfect and clean the wound. After the arm was bandaged she patted the woman on the shoulder, but at this point she fell asleep. She couldn't tell whether it was because of blood loss or dehydration but she applied an IV just in case and carried the woman to the passenger seat.

Once she made sure that the stranger was buckled up safely she made to drive towards her original destination. Deep down inside she loved and wanted to help people but right then, the Wanderer hoped that her little stunt wouldn't bite her in the ass later. Glancing at the sleeping form of the woman she sighed and pushed the pedal down all the way, accelerating the vehicle. She had to find a safe place for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Wanderer drove towards a set of tall rocks and figured it was a good place to set up camp. The hours had been uneventful since she rescued the woman and she wanted it to keep it that way. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon and soon wildlife would roam freely through the desert. The Wanderer had no problems dealing with dangerous animals, but since she had a patient to look over she didn't want to take any chances. She looked at the past out form lying in the passenger seat. The woman had blonde hair that she neatly wore in a bun and a set of biker goggles hang around her neck. The Wanderer wasn't sure about her age when she looked into her face. She knew that most people seemed older than they were out here. Dealing with survival every day tended to let a person age faster, but the woman looked young and pretty compared to most people she met. Her outfit wasn't really much different from other drifters she had met during her travels. A simple shirt and a set of old worn pants and boots complemented her figure. Around her waist she wore a seemingly full bag with many pockets. All in all the woman seemed plain and not so different from other travelers and the Wanderer wondered what she had done to gain the attention of the group she saved her from.

When they reached the tall rocks the wanderer parked the car next to them and covered it with a set of brown cloth, so it matched the desert ground. It wasn't really ideal to leave the car out in the open, but she had no choice. She carried the unconscious woman up the rocky terrain and looked for an ideal place to set up camp. She soon found a perfect location with a small cave. That way they would stay dry if bad weather would arise and she had a good view of the car and anyone who would approach them.

Making a fire was always risky out in the open, so she normally spent her nights in real caves, but since she had no choice she created a fire place with various stones lying around and placed the women near the fire so she wouldn't get cold. Nights in the desert were cold and relentless the Wanderer had quickly learned when she left the Capital Wasteland. All her life she spent wandering the Wasteland and even spent nights under the open sky, but she never really felt the cold until she had to spend a night in the desert. It was freezing and she learned not to underestimate the climate and wilderness of the unknown land.

The sun was almost gone by the time she set up their little camp and she checked on the woman who still lay unmoving by the fire pit. The bandages she applied were soaked with blood, but they were not dripping anymore and the Wanderer decided to change them. Being a doctor had great advantages out in the wilderness. Many communities were in need of a professional medic and they paid well, but in most cases she helped out for free, provided the people had the necessary medical instruments. She removed the empty IV and started to cut open the bandages with a set of scissors, but before applying the new bandages she suddenly stopped and looked at the wound. The cut had long healed and the Wanderer could've sworn that her arm looked longer, as if it was growing back slowly. There were a lot of things in the world she couldn't explain and she figured that she would get her answer the next morning. In the end she cleaned the arm with water and positioned the unconscious woman near her own sleeping bag. The Wanderer wouldn't get any sleep tonight, she knew that. Somebody had to watch out for any danger, but she was used to not sleeping. When her father disappeared she sometimes spent days wandering and looking for him. It wasn't healthy and she knew it and she had to give her body time to recharge afterwards, but a day of staying awake was hardly a problem for her.

xxx

" _ **So, you're saying you met the Courier before you joined her on her travels, is that right?"**_

" _Yes, but at that time she was just another damn drifter. They way she looked like, I figured she ran a caravan herself, but they sure as shit don't have a working vehicle."_

" _ **Ah yes, it made the woman very notorious. The NCR didn't know how to react when she first appeared at the gates. I heard it almost got out of hand that day. Can you tell what happened?"**_

" _Sure, some new recruits were stationed to guard the fence and as soon as that vehicle made it up the hill they pissed their pants. I was up here myself when news came that my caravan got wiped out, so I got to see the whole spectacle. One of the younger one's demanded that they hand over the vehicle to the NCR or they arrest them, telling them that they were Legion spies. It would've been funny if it weren't so god damn sad."_

 _(Sound of glass filling)_

" _ **What exactly happened next?"**_

" _Well the Courier wasn't traveling; or rather she wasn't driving alone. Another woman was with her and after talking to the recruits they let them pass. I'm not sure what she said to them, but they looked pretty pale. I think one of them even shat himself."_

" _ **Well that certainly made news around the Mojave hasn't it?**_

" _It sure did."_

xxx

When the morning sun started to slowly rise over the horizon the Wanderer decided it was time to leave their location. She never liked staying to long in one place, especially in unknown land. She checked on the woman and noticed that the arm had grown even longer than the day before. She kneeled down to her and softly shook her shoulders. At first she didn't react, but after a few seconds she blinked a few times and then opened her eyes. The Wanderer stared into deep blue eyes and was amazed by their intensity, like staring into the eyes of a wild animal. The woman suddenly leapt up and grabbed the knife the Wanderer holstered at the waist and brought the knife to her throat.

"Who the fuck are you? Where am I?" she asked aggressively and looked at the Wanderer without blinking.

"Easy there" the Wanderer began "I'm the person who saved you yesterday. Your arm was cut off remember?"

The woman looked at her right stump in shock and let go of the Wanderer, dropping her knife.

She looked around panicked and then looked at the Wanderer who started to get off the ground.

"I-I'm so sorry…I didn't…I just reacted…" the woman apologized.

"It's ok, you were confused and didn't think clearly" She assured her "But your instincts are really good."

"Thanks." She replied awkwardly holding her right arm.

"Well anyway, we can talk things out while we're eating, you're probably very hungry."

"Yes, let's eat please."

They sat in silence and ate cans of ancient food and drank water that the Wanderer had brought with her from the car. At least the water was clean. That's something else the Wanderer noticed when leaving Washington D.C. The water in the West was surprisingly clean and free of the heavy radiation that she encountered at home. She wasn't really sure what the cause of this was, but after being unable to die and meeting a woman whose limb was growing back she pretty much gave up on explaining this phenomenon. She was just thankful that the water was clean and drinkable.

"So, who are you, where are you from?" the Wanderer asked the woman.

"My name is Katherine and I'm from the Boneyard. You know where that is right?"

"No I never heard of that place, where is that?"

"Shit really?" Katherine asked amused and explained "It's one of the most known locations around these parts. I think Los Angeles is the old name for it. But believe me it's a shit hole. I left the moment I collected enough caps."

Los Angeles, the name did ring a bell. After some thought she realized that she learned of this city back in the Vault when she was still in school. It's one of the more major cities of the old country, of America. But now it had little meaning as the great war destroyed more than history.

"Why did you leave? You look pretty young." the Wanderer asked Katherine.

"I'm twenty-three and believe me you'd leave too if you had to live there. The NCR tries to stabilize the region around the city but they talk much and don't do shit anyway. I figured that if I stayed I'd end or worse. Leaving was the best option."

"Well I'd say it still had its risks" the Wanderer replied and gestured at her right arm.

Katherine looked at what she was pointing and chuckled.

"Oh that? It sounds crazy, but this shit happens all the time. Believe me, it's not the first time I lost a limb, though it usually is a hand or one of my feet. The arm's a first. They always grow back after a short while. Probably thanks to all the radiation at the Boneyard. Place is a shithole I tell you"

The Wanderer listened amazed to her explanation and wondered if the woman couldn't die like her.

"Were you ever killed during your travels?"

"Wha- killed? No, why the fuck would you ask me that? I'm sitting right in front of you."

"Sorry…it's just…well…I thought…never mind."

The Wanderer cleared her throat and asked her about the men who attacked her.

"Oh those assholes, yeah they call themselves the Legion. They dress badly but believe me they are not to be messed with. They control a huge area of land and fight different tribes into submission. That's how their army grows. Most of the soldiers you'll encounter are probably from different tribes, but they proudly tell you how great the Legion is. If they don't they get slaughtered, crucified or worse. Oh and they treat women worse than their dogs too."

"They sound charming"

The woman smiled at the Wanderer and continued.

"I must admit, even though I hate them, they sure as hell don't have problems with raiders or other scum trying to attack innocent people. If you gain the favor of the Legion you have nothing to fear. The trade routes don't need patrols or protection because everyone fears crossing the Legion. For all the slavery of women and their barbaric methods they are an effective regime. Caesar, the head of the Legion makes sure that his reign is not to be questioned. I saw what they did to people who fight back. The only people who stand a chance are the NCR. The New Californian Republic. They are the same people who try to get a grip of the Boneyard, but they keep fucking up. I wonder how they will face the Legion."

They sat in silence for a while and the Wanderer processed the new information. Katherine opened up a whole new world for her. The problems of the Capital Wasteland seemed minor in comparison. She really hoped that the Legion wouldn't seek revenge for their fallen brothers.

"Why were they attacking you?"

"Well…" Katherine began clearly uncomfortable "You remember I told you that I collected enough caps to leave the Boneyard? That's not entirely true. I mean I collected some caps to keep me afloat, but I'm a traveling chemist."

"You sell drugs?"

"Yes, I make them myself and you'd be surprised how many people need a fix. Long story short, the Legion hates any kinds of chems and people like me get hung on a cross if they find us."

"Don't you feel bad for selling this stuff? People get addicted by this and their lifes destroyed" The Wanderer said. She thought about all the junkie raiders she had to kill and remembered what this stuff did to Leo Stahl in Megaton.

"Now just wait a minute. You don't know shit about me and I'm not forcing anyone to buy my stuff. There will always be drug abusers and junkies even if I don't sell any of this stuff. My products are at least clean and are the real thing; I'm making sure of it. You don't know what it's like out here, scrapping by day by day. Survival is something I have been facing since I was a kid, so don't guilt-trip me we this black and white bullshit, you have no right to judge me!"

Katherine was furious and she looked angry at the Wanderer. She could tell by looking at her that this wasn't the first time she had to deal with something like this.

"You're right I'm sorry, it's just where I come from I've dealt with these things all the time. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Alright Ms. Savior. Who are you and where are you from? Judging by your knowledge of the area around here, or the lack of I suspect you're not from around here.

"Well my name is…" the Wanderer began before she got cut off by a shot that rang loudly trough the desert. She jumped to her feet and looked at Katherine, putting a finger warningly to her lips and checked their surroundings. She noticed a few more Legion soldiers surrounding a group of travelers. They checked their pockets while one of them stood watch and waited. She assumed it was the Leader as he was dressed in a different kind of armor and had a metal helmet on his head. After they searched the group of people one of the soldiers pointed at a man in the group and he started to run away. He didn't get far as a few bullets hit him in the back and he dropped dead to the ground.

"Bastards" Katherine whispered next to her. She too had joined the Wanderer and they both observed as the rest of the group was put in shackles and led away by the Legion soldiers.

"We should help them" the Wanderer said gripping her sniper rifle.

"Are you crazy? There are at least 8 of them and two of us! And genius if you haven't noticed I don't have a god damn arm!" the woman replied heatedly.

The Wanderer looked at her and then sighed heavily.

"Wait here" she ordered and left their small camp.

"No wait you crazy idiot!"

The Wanderer moved quickly down the rocks and activated her stealth armor. She figured that without the leader she had a better chance to take out the rest of the soldiers. She took a deep breath and fired a single shot at the man. The bullet went cleanly through his skull and he dropped dead. As predicted the rest of the soldiers started to look around them and spread around the desert. Only two stayed with the prisoners and the Wanderer shot them with her sniper rifle. Afterwards she began her hunt. She systematically sneaked to each Legion soldier's position and killed them quietly with her knife, so as not to alert the rest. After they were dead she untied the prisoners who thanked her and ran away as quickly as they could.

Once she was done she went back to the cave where a wide eyed Katherine looked impressed at the Wanderer.

"Come on we leave now" the Wanderer said and they both started to pack their things.

They carried everything back to the hidden vehicle and the Wanderer replaced an Energy Cell. She was out of fuel and didn't want to risk looking for any as long as they were in Legion territory. Once everything was secured they got into the vehicle and started to drive towards the original destination.

"Wow, an actual working vehicle. I'm impressed" Katherine said and played with the various functions the Wanderer built int.

"In the Boneyard you'd see them everywhere but they are useless. Well, or rather we use them for cover."

The Wanderer smiled at the enthusiastic woman and turned on the car radio.

" _Hello folks this is Mr. New Vegas and I have some news for you folks…"_

"We're driving to New Vegas?"

"Yes, that's what my plan actually was, why?"

"Oh boy, you're heading right into the shit storm between the NCR and the Legion. That's where Hoover Dam is and everybody wants to own it."

"Can you bring me up to date while we drive there? I mean the noteworthy locations and the history I've been missing out on?" the Wanderer asked Katherine while she steered the car towards New Vegas.

"First you tell me who you are and where you are from and then I'll tell you what you want to know" the woman crossed her arms and waited for the Wanderer to reply.

"Sure, we have a long way in front of us anyway, might as well tell you everything about me so get comfortable. So, my name is…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"So you're telling me you single-handedly destroyed the remnants of the past government and destroyed the source of the Mutants that where plaguing your home?"

"Yes."

"You know it's hard to believe, it sounds more like a big elaborate fairy tale" Katherine said skeptically.

"Yes I admit it sounds ridiculous. But, I plan to return home some day. If you haven't got any plans you can tag along and see for yourself if you'd like. The vehicle will take us there quickly if I don't stop along the way" the Wanderer offered. "And besides, I don't have a reason to lie."

"I'll think about it. But I guess traveling with you is as safe as it gets, considering how you dealt with the Legion."

The two remained silent for a few hours, listening to the crackling sound of the radio, the frequency getting better the closer they came towards their destination. When the sun started to set they could make out structures just over the horizon and two giants statues proudly stood high towards the sky.

"Stop the car real quick please" Katherine asked the Wanderer.

"What is it?" she asked and parked the car on the road.

"We are driving towards one of the NCR's checkpoints. I've never been here myself before, but people I know told me about this. They expect you to have some sort of identification with you. That means that if you don't have any documents with you and it's highly unlikely you do, they can keep you from entering for days. Those guys love their paperwork. I got myself identification as a courier. I found some guy lying dead in the desert, his body starting to rot but he still got his card though. Whoever killed him didn't search him properly. I can get in through the checkpoint because they will think I work for the Mojave Express, but you? I'm not sure what we can do to get you through the process." Katherine explained.

The Wanderer thought about it for a minute and replied "Don't worry, I can talk myself through. And worst case scenario I have to use my stealth suit and sneak past them. But I think I can handle it."

"Then what about the car? We can't leave it?"

"Yes, you're right" the Wanderer admitted "I'll just improvise as we go along."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

Since both of them had no better idea they drove towards the metal fence that enclosed the Mojave Outpost. The car slowly drove up the hill and a soldier waved them over to his booth.

He looked young and inexperienced by the way he was holding his rifle and all around his posture told them that he was quiet nervous.

The young man glanced at the vehicle and judging by his wide eyed look it was clear that he never seen one driving before. He gripped his rifle tightly and made his way over to Katherines window.

"Uh, I need to see your p-papers please."

"Sure here you go."

Katherine gave him her identity card and he checked it before giving it back shortly.

"Miss I need to see your friend's card as well" the soldier added hesitantly.

The Wanderer looked at him and smiled "I'm sorry but I don't have a card on myself. I left my hometown before I could get proper identification from the NCR, I hope that will be no issue."

The soldier looked uncertain and waved to another NCR soldier who was standing a few feet behind him. He just finished his discussion with a furious Caravan Merchant and walked over to help the soldier out.

"What's the problem Ricky?"

"The woman says she has no identification and wants me to let her pass. You know we can't do that, but she's got this…thing she's sitting in. Honestly I'm wondering if she isn't helping the Legion somehow and I don't want to take any chances. We need to secure it and wait for orders from HQ." the soldier quickly explained.

The Wanderer heard all of this even though he was trying to speak quietly and she got out of the car and walked towards the soldiers.

"D-don't move!" the younger one said and pointed her rifle at her.

The Wanderer smiled at him reassuringly and stopped a few feet in front of them.

"I can't help but notice you're trying to stop me from entering the Mojave. Well I'm going to tell you something so listen closely. I'm an undercover agent sent from Shady Sands to check out the situation the NCR is currently in. It's quiet obviously that I'm not a random drifter and I hope that the vehicle here and my uniform is proof enough" the Wanderer explained and turned on her stealth field for a second appearing a few feet closer, startling the soldiers.

"Now this is how this is going to play out. You're going to clear the way and grant me free passage into the Mojave or I'll make sure you both will end up on the front lines fighting the Legion. My orders are of the highest importance and any disobedience will be met with harsh penalty. Are we going to have a problem?"

The soldiers looked paled and the younger one stammered "N-no ma'am. We apologize for our ignorance, we didn't know better. Please don't mention this in your report!"

The Wanderer grinned at him and patted his shoulder but her eyes told him "Don't fuck with me kid" and got back into the vehicle.

She started the engine and slowly rolled towards the two statues. It was safe to say that they were the centre of attention at this point, even if no one had heard the conversation with the soldiers at the checkpoint. Seeing a vehicle drive was something most people will never see in their life time and it was no wonder that everyone that had gathered outside in the Mojave Outpost were watching it.

"Well, that's not too subtle but I guess it got the job done" Katherine remarked and the Wanderer smiled.

She didn't know how far away New Vegas was but spending one more night in a shack or town couldn't hurt but little did she know that they were being watched the moment they drove through the fence gate surrounding the Mojave Outpost.

At that moment a computer registered the presence of the Platinum Chip that Katherine looted from the Courier's corpse. A message was send to an operative to find and acquire the Chip by any means necessary. All this happened before the two left the Outpost and the operative was on his way to intercept them.

xxx

" _You've made your last delivery kid. Sorry you got twisted up in this scene. From where you're kneeling it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. Truth is...the game was rigged from the start."_

 _(Gunshot sound)_

The Wanderer woke up with a gasp and looked around disoriented. What had happened?

She didn't remember much from last night and her head hurt. She was lying on an old couch and tried to make sense of the pain in her head.

"Easy there, you shouldn't overexert yourself" an old and kind voice said.

She looked over to a man who sat on a chair reading a book. He had an old face with kind looking eyes. His hair which started to fall out and his moustache were all white. The man put away the book and went over to the Wanderer.

"I'm glad you woke up. You were in pretty bad shape when you and your friend were brought here. She still hasn't woken up and I'm not sure if she ever will. Hear damage was extensive."

"What…friend?" the Wanderer gripped her head when a blast of pain went through it.

She remembered now. They were ambushed when they were on their way to a town with a giant roller coaster. It happened so unexpected and fast that the Wanderer couldn't react. The road in front of them exploded suddenly and before she knew it they were dragged away by a group of men who looked like to be raiders. She didn't know how long they were walking but it was night when they were brought on a hill overlooking an even smaller town.

The Wanderer was at a great disadvantage at that point. Her weapons had been secured when she was struck over the head with a pipe and they had tied her so she wasn't able to use her hands or her stealth suit. The situation looked grim and soon it would be worse. Katherine was kneeling in front of a man in a checkered suit who seemed very much interested in her. He talked to her about some kind of delivery while she frantically tried to tell him something but they gagged her and he just ignored her while giving his speech. The Wanderer watched horrified as he put a bullet through her head and the raiders started to bury her in the hole they made. She thought it would be her turn next but her memory was fuzzy afterwards.

"What happened? Where is Katherine? Is she okay?" she asked fearing the answer that would ultimately follow.

"Whoa there, easy. Your friend is alive. She is lying on my operating table. I just finished reconstructive surgery on her, but I'm not sure when she will wake, IF she will wake up. You two were brought here by Victor who saw some shady men at the hill were we bury our dead. Your friend was literally pulled from her grave, but you were lying unconscious in an unfinished hole. Whatever they planned to do with you didn't happen. You got lucky I'd say."

"But I saw Katherine get shot in the head, she can't be alive!"

"Well some people can survive about anything. Your friend must be favored by Lady Lucky."

"Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Doc Mitchell and you're in the town of Goodsprings."

"Thanks for helping us Doc, I will repay this kidness I promise!"

"It's alright, first you need to get better before I let you out again."

After some consideration the Wanderer asked to see Katherine and the both of them walked to the table she was lying on. She was breathing steadily but showed no signs of waking up.

The doctor sighed and said "I can't promise you anything, a wound like that will have some repercussions I'm sure. We just need to wait…"

Having said that Katherine suddenly opened her eyes and looked confused. The doctor and the Wanderer looked surprised and waited for a reaction from her.

"Huh, she's awake, how about that?" Doc Mitchell said and went over to check up on her "Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out cold a couple of days now. Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings. Let's see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name?

Katherine looked at him for a few seconds and in a fit of rage jumped at him and started to choke him. The Wanderer had to pry her off him as he lay coughing on the ground, all the while Katherine was struggling against her grip and hissing at her like a crazed animal. She let her go after the doctor got to a safe distance and she went to the furthest corner in her room watching them both with a wild look in her eyes.

"Doc are you alright?" the Wanderer asked worried.

"It's nothing, we should worry about your friend here. She's most likely having a nervous breakdown right now. Let's give her some space. You should talk to her, see if she recognizes you." Doc Mitchell said while rubbing his throat.

The Wanderer looked uncertain to Katherine who still looked like a frightened animal and tried to speak in a calm voice.

"Katherine it's me? Do you remember me? We were driving together in my car to New Vegas. I'm…

Katherine was watching the Wanderer but she couldn't make out what the strange person was saying. It were just meaningless sounds to her, but the moment the Wanderer introduced herself anew a sharp pain went through her frontal lobe and she fell to her knees screaming. Countless memories from her short time with the Wanderer spread through her head and she started to slowly make sense through the memories. She looked at the Wanderer tears running down her face from the pain and she replied uncertain.

"Me remember. Me know you."

The Wanderer was amazed that Katherine replied at all but with a heavy heart realized that the wound had probably left her dumber than she was. She appeared more trusting but still had that jumpy look about her.

"Normally I would have my patients perform various tests and answer a few questions to better judge their overall health but it seems it won't be necessary with your friend here. I'm sorry to say but I think the bullet has permanently damaged her brain. There is nothing I could do for her." Doc Mitchell explained.

"Is there really nothing anyone could do? Isn't there a surgeon who could fix her up?" the Wanderer asked hoping to be able to help Katherine."

"I've never heard anything like this, but you could try asking around New Vegas. Maybe someone there will know something"

The Wanderer sighed and turned to Katherine "Are you alright? How do you feel?"

The girl contemplated the Wanderers words and with great difficulty answered "Me head hurts. Me want eat"

It saddened the Wanderer to see her like this and she promised herself that she would find whoever was responsible for this and make them pay.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning the two set out into the town of Goodsprings and started to gather information about the whereabouts of the men who attacked them. Katherine didn't talk much but followed the Wanderer wherever she went looking like a lost child. She didn't want to expose her to danger but she knew that inevitably she needed to defend her in the future if she went out into the wild.

They quickly found the robot Victor who informed them of the men who attacked them and how they went into the direction of prim, the town with the big roller coaster. Victor didn't see a car when the Wanderer asked him about it and she hoped that the vehicle was intact. It was hard enough to create an engine in the Capital Wasteland and she doubted that it would be easier to do it again in this new land. She had a vague feeling that she should know where she was but her immortality as liked to call it, has made keeping her memories in order especially hard. Sometimes she would ask people about things that had never happened and she needed to remind herself to be more cautious about her questions.

They met a nice girl named Sunny Smiles who offered her some caps and an old rifle in exchange for helping her hunt Geckos. She agreed as all her money and equipment including her stealth suit were gone but was frustrated when Katherine refused to wait for her at the saloon so she had to take her with them. It went well for a while until they heard the cry for help from one of the water wells. A local woman was attacked by Geckos and the Wanderers rifle jammed. Before she or Sunny could help her Katherine ran past them and snatched the Machete that Sunny had holstered on her back. She was fast, almost elegant but her attacks were violent. The Geckos stood no chance against her viciousness and Katherine circled around the woman like a wild animal would protect her offspring. Most of the Geckos who dared to attack them met a swift death and in the end the few remaining ones fled the area, sensing their opponent's blood lust.

Amazed the Wanderer and Sunny ran to her and tried to compliment her but as she turned around they realized once again that she was unstable. She looked like she was ready to pounce on them at any moment and her eyes showed a primal need for hunting. The blood on her face didn't help her look also.

"Good job Katherine. You saved the woman" the Wanderer tried to calm her while slowly moving towards her friend.

Katherine glanced at the woman dismissively and turned to Sunny Smiles raising her Machete.

"Me keep this."

"Sure, go ahead I have another one anyway she replied. She didn't want to risk her life over a Machete. The girl in front of her might not be right in the head anymore but from the looks of it she could still handle herself. Maybe it was instinct or maybe she was a genius of combat.

The Wanderer thanked Sunny, who went back to the Saloon while she and Katherine stayed at the well. The Wanderer picked up a cloth and started to clean the girl's face and once again she noticed how at calm she had gotten again. In this moment she realized that maybe she didn't have to look after her as much as she thought she would have to. She obviously could candle the Machete and wild animals shouldn't be a problem. People on the other hand were a different matter entirely and they just had to wait for a situation like this. The Wanderer hoped that it wouldn't come to this though.

Back at the Saloon the two could overhear a conversation between a man dressed in a prison uniform and he seemed to threaten the bartender Trudy over a man who hid in their town. Sunny had asked the Wanderer to introduce herself when they had the chance and she couldn't help but notice how they stumbled from one problem to the next.

They walked towards the pair and the Wanderer considered interfering but wasn't sure what opposition she would have to expect for a stunt like this. But again before she had time to think Katherine pulled her Machete and with a scream of rage rammed it into the man's collarbone. He dropped to his knees and looked wide eyed at her before dying on the saloon's floor.

Trudy looked shocked at the both of them but Katherine calmly put her Machete away and looked over to the Wanderer who looked disapprovingly at her.

"I hope you didn't just kill him for fun."

"Man is evil. Me kill evil man."

"Next time you wait until I say it is okay!" she replied angry.

The remainder of the day past by uneventfully and they ate and sat in the saloon until night time. The Wanderer tried to speak with Katherine but she still had problems forming coherent sentences but it was slowly getting better. She realized that the girl wasn't dumb, but she acted more on instincts than on logical thinking. Considering her wound she was lucky to do that at all.

They decided to sleep at the old gas station but were surprised by a gun pointing at them when they opened the door. The Wanderer moved on instinct and hit the gun to the side while kicking the person in the groin. She turned on her Pip-boy light and saw that it was a young man who lay on the ground in pain.

"Y-you won't have an e-easy fight. I'll p-promise that!" the man sharply said, catching his breath through the pain.

"Who are you?" the Wanderer asked.

At that point the man named Ringo realized that the person in front of him wasn't a Powder Ganger and apologized for his action. The Wanderer let him explain the situation and sighed afterwards. As she had thought before it was one problem after the other. The Podwer Gangers were a group of escaped NCR convicts who threatened the town of Goodsprings and wanted them to hand out Ringo. They refused and so the convicts kept harassing the people even going as far as to threaten them with dynamite. The Wanderer was sick of all the evil she met on her travels and she decided to end this problem for the town once and for all. She may not have had her stealth, but all her skills didn't just disappear like her equipment.

"Wait here, I'll solve this she told Ringo" she told him determined and went out into the darkness of the night.

"What do you mean solve?" Ringo asked but she was gone without a reply.

It wasn't hard to find the Powder Gangers as they set up camp just by the border of the small town. The Wanderer could overhear them talking about their leader and why he hasn't returned yet. She didn't care for their side of the story and made a decision to kill them except one so he could send a message to the rest of their gang. It would be a short bloody battle.

She asked Katherine to give her the Machete who reluctantly parted with it and the Wanderer ran towards the campfire in the shadows of the night. She wore nothing but a jump suit that Doc Mitchell had kindly given to her and she thought it ironic that once again she found herself with nothing but a jumpsuit in a wild place she had no knowledge of. Before the Powder Gangers could react the Wanderer slaughtered them with precise and deadly strikes, occasionally cutting off a limb or two. The only man left was cowering in the dirt before her and she pointed the Machete at him.

"You, go back to your friends and tell them I'm coming for them. Goodsprings is off limits and your buddies are just the beginning, that's a goddamn promise."

The man didn't have to be told twice and bolted out of sight.

The Wanderer sighed once again and wondered what kind of enemies she just made and went back to Katherine who watched from the hill with amazement in her eyes. She wondered what went through her head but was worried that the answer would leave her questioning the sanity of her friend. She gave her back the Machete and they made their way back to the gas station. The day was long and she just wanted to sleep and forget for a while.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 _(Recording start)_

 ** _"The Courier saved Primm from the Powder Gangers?"_**

 _"That's correct. One day she strolled into our little town, asking for information about some men who attacked her. We told here we had our own troubles and she promised to save our Deputy in exchange for information. Hell, I didn't think she'd actually pull it off, but then she comes an hour later through our saloon doors and tells us the problem has been taken care of. Pretty amazing if you ask me."_

 ** _"There have been rumors going around, saying that the Courier wasn't alone at the time and that she had help from a friend. Is there anything you can tell about that?"_**

 _"Yes that's right. Come to think of it, the Courier seemed a little light in the head so her friend's done all the talking. I asked my wife Ruby afterwards if she could make sense of that girl. Sounds like she got her head hurt or something like that. Poor girl."_

 ** _"Did they stay for long after helping you out or did they leave immediately? Can you give more details on her friend? Do you know who she is?_**

 _"Well they stayed for a few hours before leaving towards the NCR Correctional Facility. They were asked by our Deputy Beagle to find a new Sheriff for Primm. Her friend wasn't too keen on the idea, but the Courier insisted almost childlike and so they went. Now I don't know who the Courier's friend was, but after they dealt with the Powder Gangers you could see the dark smoke rising high up to the sky. Place is probably a graveyard by now..."_

 ** _"Allright, thank you for your time Mr. Nash. I'll make sure to mention your wives' casserole in my paper."_**

 _(Recording end)_

xxx

The Wanderer and Katherine made their way to the Mojave Outpost. After helping out Primm the Wanderer wanted to take the rest of the day off and contemplate their next moves. From what she could gather from the residents of Primm they were on the right track and the men indeed passed through here and it was only a matter of time before they would catch up to them. The Wanderer was tired and the hot desert sun was something she had to get used to, while Katherine cheerfully hummed a song and seemed like she didn't mind the heat at all. They also found an Eyebot in the building of the Mojave Express. There was a recorded message of the owner on it, dubbing it ED-E and the Wanderer decided to keep it. It was different from the Eyebots she encountered in the Capital Wasteland. This one seemed somewhat intelligent, maybe even self-aware. The robot proved useful enough as it spotted enemies who were far away giving the Wanderer and Katherine an edge in combat. It also played different radio stations which was a big bonus.

They reached the Mojave Outpost were they refilled their traveling bags, paying with caps that the Powder Gangers stored at the correctional facility. It wasn't much but it was enough to get them water and food for some time. The real problem was weapons, ammo and medicine. The Wanderer scavenged every empty building they came across for bullets and other necessities even relying on workbenches to craft her own bullets. It wasn't all too bad, considering that she had to do the same in the Capital Wasteland and she sometimes fell into nostalgia when they were waiting out the heat of the day.

She took on a job from a sniper, looking across the road leading up to the outpost. The woman introduced herself as Ghost and wanted them to check out the town of Nipton. Black smoke was rising up to the sky and the sniper had a bad feeling about it, but couldn't leave her post.

The Wanderer agreed and walked towards the town with Katherine. The girl seemed care free considering the bleak situation they were in before a few hours ago. Even after they pretty much slaughtered every Powder Ganger Katherine didn't seem to react to the violent deaths they caused. One moment she stabbed a man repeatedly in the stomach and the next she was complaining about her empty stomach. Ignorance is bliss the Wanderer thought and sighed.

They were almost at the city's entrance when a man dressed as a Powder Ganger ran up to them, cheering.

"Yeah, who won the lottery! I did! Smell the air! Couldn't ya just drink it like booze!" he shouted insanely and laughed.

"What lottery?" the Wanderer asked him but he kept ignored her and kept on rambling about the lottery, dropping his ticked on the ground before dashing away like a mad man.

"Man is strange" Katherine commented and watched as the Wanderer picked up the ticket. It didn't seem spectacular and had only a number written on it. Figuring she would know soon enough what it was all about she went inside the first building on her left to see if anything of value was left.

To her surprise a Powder Ganger said on a chair and looked like he was in pain. She asked him about it and found out, that the Legion killed everyone in this town by playing a game of lottery. Most people were burned alive at the stake they built in front of the town hall, others were crucified while others were enslaved by the Legion. The Powder Ganger who ran past them won the first prize and was set free, while the Powder Ganger in the building got his legs broken. From the looks of it, he had little chance of survival out here on his own, especially while wearing his convict clothes. The Wanderer decided to end his misery and put a bullet in his head before walking towards the door. She noticed that Katherine didn't follow her but instead stared at the corpse of the man in the chair.

"What is it Katherine?" the Wanderer asked her curiously.

"Why kill man? He no fight back." she replied and looked questioningly at her friend.

"Katherine you killed a Powder Ganger back at the saloon and now you're asking me why I did that? Who knows how many innocent people he killed. And besides he would've died anyway." she replied annoyed at the double standard that was pulled on her.

"Man at saloon bad. Said bad things. Man here not move. No threat."

The Wanderer cursed internally and once again had to remind herself that Katherine was in fact not dumb, but had trouble to form full sentences. She never had to justify her actions to anyone but her father and he told her he was proud of her the day he died. Now suddenly her moral was being questioned and she didn't know how to react to it.

"Enough Katherine! We're leaving!" the Wanderer replied angry and made her way towards the town hall. On either side of the road people were hanging on crosses and seemed to be on the brink of death. The Wanderer considered helping but saw a figure walking towards them. A man with a wolf pelt on his head stopped in front of them and his small group of Legionnaires stood behind him.

"Don't worry, I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It's useful that you happened by. I want you to witness the fate of the town of Nipton, to memorize every detail. And then, when you move on? I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson of Caesar's Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across." the strange man told the Wanderer.

She felt hot boiling rage building up inside her. After leaving the Vault she constantly witnessed the worst humanity has to offer, but not even the Raiders back home did boast about their deeds. They were drugged up crazies who murdered people, but they never went up to anyone with such self-righteousness like the Legionnaire in front of her.

Between gritted teeth she asked "What justice?"

The man continued to explain to her that the town was full of people who didn't pledge allegiance to anyone. A town of whores as he explained and the Wanderer decided right there, that this insane group of people had to be wiped from existence.

"I'm going to wear your head like you wear that dog's!" she pulled out her own machete she bought at the Mojave Outpost and furiously attacked the shocked man.

It was a short bloody fight. The violence with which the Wanderer kept pressing on her attackers left them running for the hills, but between her and Katherine the Legionnaires stood no chance of making it out alive. Little did they know that a scout was watching the events unfold below and taking note of the individuals to inform Caesar of the assailants. He would not be pleased.

xxx

 _(Recording start)_

 ** _"So Miguel-"_**

 _"My name is Raul Alfonso Tejada."_

 ** _"But the jumpsuit says-"_**

 _"I know what it says. The previous owner probably was named Miguel. How should I know."_

 ** _"Right...sorry about that. So what can you tell me about the Courier? What kind of person was she? Do you think it was a good choice to follow her on her quest across the Mojave?"_**

 _"The Boss was a good girl. A bit goof at times but she certainly had a good head on her shoulders. Helped out a lot of people so I'd say she is practically a saint in the world we live now. But few people know the other side. They haven't seen the brutality with which she killed her enemies. It would definitely make them question her character that's for sure. All I can say is that the Boss was good and fair to me and if she wanted my help again I'd wouldn't hesitate to help. I know it left a sour taste in the mouth of most people after she and her friend took New Vegas for the NCR. But they forget that the Courier was originally a NCR citizen, so I guess whatever she saw in the NCR must be good enough. It's not my place to question. Once you get as old as me, you realize that there is not good or evil, even the Legion can't be painted with one color. People haven't seen Arizona back before the Legion took over the area. You couldn't walk down the road without worrying about a raider attack. Now area is safe enough for caravans to cross without guards, thanks to the Legion."_

 ** _"Interesting, do you have any information about the friend you mentioned? Who was she? Where did she come from?_**

 _"To be honest I've never seen someone like her. I've traveled a long time with both of them and she is kind of an enigma. She fought as if she knew exactly where enemies were coming from, like she's seen it already. I'm not a superstitious person, but if you asked me, I'd say she isn't entirely human, whether she believes it or not. But she was a good person and even a better doctor. I saw her fighting day and night to save soldiers after the Battle of Hoover Dam. Even Legionnaires who cursed at her for using modern medicine on them. She didn't react to any of their vile insults though. The Legion could not possibly imagine what kind of foe they were up against. She was truly like the devil himself in the midst of the battle. I only got her name in all this time. Funny isn't it?"_

 ** _"What was her name?"_**

 _"Her name was..."_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 _(Recording Start)_

 ** _"Doctor Usanagi I've heard various claims from people that the Courier was...well, on the far low end of the intelligence scale. Someone mentioned you helped the Courier back to her old safe, before her head injury is that correct?"_**

 _"Actually it wasn't me who fixed her head, but it's true that she came to me for help. When she first came to me she did seem a little off. She could speak, though not in full sentences and I was wondering whether she understood me when I explained what the implant her friend bought for her would do."_

 ** _"Interesting...so you're saying that the Courier was healed by someone else?"_**

 _"Yes, I was wondering myself when she came back one day without a sign of her previous mental condition. Whoever healed her had to have technology that outreaches whatever we could possible offer."_

 ** _"So what did your implant actually do? You're sure that the implant didn't revert her to her old self again?"_**

 _"Yes, the implant could not possible brought such a drastic effect on her intelligence level. What the implant actually does is enhance the cerebral cortex to basically make her overall motor functions and thinking easier, but the effect on her would have been minimal."_

 ** _"Can you tell me anything about the Courier's friend?"_**

 _"I'm afraid not. She seemed nice enough, but I the clinic gets very buys some days so remembering faces can get tricky. I assumed she was there to protect the Courier because of her condition. It's all I really know, sorry."_

 ** _"I see, thank you for your time Doctor."_**

 _(Recording End)_

xxx

Katherine and the Wanderer were walking towards New Vegas; the bright lights of the city could be seen from the highway they were walking on. After Nipton they reached Novac where they uncovered yet another crime and the Wanderer wondered if there would be a single day in her life without people trying to kill or screw each other over. The motel owner of the little town tried to sell the wife of NCR sniper Craig Boone to the Legion. But before they could take her away Boone shot his wife in the head, figuring a life as a Legion slave was worse than death, the Wanderer and Courier later found out on their travels together. Afterwards he bitterly awaited the day when he would finally get his revenge on the person responsible for the transaction. He didn't had to wait long as it was Katherine who figured that the motel owner was the culprit.

She told the Wanderer she had a bad feeling about the woman the moment they were talking to her. At night the Wanderer picked the lock of the safe she was hiding behind the counter and found the bill of sale. Boone didn't hesitate to execute his justice and shot her in the head when the Lone Wanderer tricked the woman to leave the perimeter of the little town. Boone assured them, that no one would question another dead body in the desert.

After traveling some time the unique group of misfits decided to set up camp near the HELIOS-One power plant, figuring that waiting another day wouldn't change the outcome of their quest.

The Lone Wanderer gasped awake drenched in sweat from her dream and quickly checked her surroundings. She had been sleeping only for a few hours and noticed how Katherine was still sleeping except for ED-E and Boone, the former patrolling the perimeter around the camp and the latter sitting silently near camp fire.

"Bad dream?" he asked the Wanderer.

She didn't answer but instead quickly rolled to the side before a spear hit the ground she was lying on seconds before. Boone immediately grabbed his rifle and shouted a warning to Katherine who bolted up in Shock. They could hear the electronic beeping from ED-E as the robot fired its Lasers at their unknown assailants and the Lone Wanderer tried to figure out where the next attacker would come from. She reached for her new pistol she bought at Novac and fired behind her without looking and killing a Legion assassin trying to get the jump on the group. Before she could decide her next move of action though, a machete hit her right into her back and she cried out in pain dropping dead on the ground.

The Lone Wanderer gasped awake with a wild expression on her face and leapt next to Boone.

"What is it? Bad dream?" the veteran sniper asked worried.

His answer came in the form of a spear hitting the spot the Lone Wanderer was lying on a few seconds before. The sniper reached for his rifle and started to wake Katherine while the Lone Wanderer fired a shot at a formation of rocks killing a Legion assassin. Boone could've sworn that no one had been there, but the cry of the Legionnaire told him otherwise. The Lone Wanderer frantically looked for the next source of her death and spotted a man in sun glasses and a bandana around his face on a hill close to the rock formation but it was too late as the man already threw a machete in her direction hitting her in the throat. Alarmed Boone ran to help his comrade but she was long dead before he reached her.

The Lone Wanderer awoke gasping for air and reached for her throat.

Boone noticed her terrified expression and asked "Bad dream?"

As with the other times the Lone Wanderer didn't answer him and rolled to the side reaching for her gun and firing at a formation of rocks, killing the Legion assassin hiding behind it. A spear hit the spot she was lying on a few seconds before and she looked to the hill to find a surprised Legionnaire readying his machete for an attack, but before he could do anything a bullet hit him clean between the eyes.

Boone amazed by the display of the Lone Wanderer forgot in the heat of the moment to warn Katherine and she was hit by spear in the stomach. She screamed in pain and tried to move but the sharp end and was stuck in the ground and she hopelessly cried for help while a big pool of blood started to form underneath her. ED-E managed to hold off the bulk of the attackers so Boone and the Lone Wanderer only had to deal with a handful of attackers, though the darkness of the night made it hard to figure out where the soldiers came from. Boone's years of training kept him calm during the battle, but he cursed himself internally that hadn't noticed the assassin approach them. Sitting in that big dinosaur in Novac made him a little rusty and he was paying the price for it. He looked between the attackers and Katherine and noticed with a heavy hard that her painful cries kept getting more silent by the minute. If they could not finish the Legionnaires off in time that girl would die.

The Lone Wanderer managed to kill a few attackers but not without getting injured by their machetes. If there is one thing the Legion was good at it was close combat and the Lone Wanderer was feeling it right then. A large gash starting from her collarbone leading down to her belly button was bleeding profoundly and she didn't know how much longer she was going to last. Her vision was starting to get blurry and her breathing shallow. She turned around to face a soldier who tried to sneak up on her only to get hit in the face. Then everything went black.

The Wanderer awoke several hours later. The sun had long risen and with it the heat of the desert. The Lone Wanderer looked around and noticed the empty camp around her. She tried to move, but her injury allowed only so much movement before the pain became unbearable.

"Boone...Katherine...ED-E..." the Wanderer called out in a week voice.

She got up and looked up the hill where she last saw some Legionnaires. Her knee gave out and she collapsed to the ground vomiting. Two crosses had been erected by the Legion with Boone and Katherine hanging on them. Their stomachs had been cut open and their entrails partially hang out. Not far from the crosses ED-E was lying on the ground, now only a piece of junk. The Wanderer started to sob and cried out in rage towards the heavens. She searched for her gun to end this nightmare and correct her mistakes but to her dismay found it gone. She crawled towards the two crosses and noticed a note being held by a sharp knife. She picked it up and read it.

 _"Let this be a lesson to anyone who dare cross the Legion."_

The Wanderer ripped the note in half and stared at the knife. With trembling hands she pointed the sharp end at her heart and began breathing heavily. She inhaled deeply one last time and cried out in rage as she struck the knife through her own heart, ending her life.

The Wanderer awoke gasping and jumped towards Katherine shaking her awake. The confused woman looked up at the Wanderer and sensed something wasn't right and immediately drew her machete.

Boone clearly confused wanted to ask what was wrong, but was cut off by a spear that hit the spot the Wanderer was lying on a few seconds before. He jolted up and grabbed his rifle, promptly checking their surroundings. He didn't have to take action as the Wanderer started to shoot seemingly into the darkness, but the cries of the Legionnaires betrayed their positions.

The three quickly formed a circle each with their backs towards one another and the Wanderer began to shout orders at Boone and Katherine, telling them when and where to move. She was determined to her them through the night.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 _(Recording start)_

 ** _"Mr. Boone I'm very happy that you took the time to have this interview with me. People back home will be ecstatic to get a firsthand account from a 1st Recon soldier."_**

 _(Silence)_

 _(Throat clearing)_

 ** _"So would you say that the Courier was the winning factor of the battle of Hoover Dam? Would you say that the NCR wouldn't have won against the Legion if it wasn't for the woman?"_**

 _"Yes."_

 ** _"Yes to which question?"_**

 _"Both."_

 _(Throat clearing)_

 ** _"Do you consider the Courier to be a soldier or a diplomat? Many witnesses claim that the Courier is a formidable soldier, but can be a very political person at the same time."_**

 _"The Courier is a good soldier. She isn't a violent person if that's what you're asking."_

 ** _"Many people back home wonder what the red beret means to the 1st Recon. It seems to have a great value to the wearer. Do you ever take it off?"_**

 _"No."_

 ** _"Excuse me for asking, I don't want to seem rude, but you don't talk much do you?"_**

 _"No."_

 ** _"Is there anything you can tell me about the woman the Courier initially travelled with?"_**

 _"Next question."_

 ** _"Alright, one last question. I hope I'm not getting too personal here Mr. Boone. Seeing as you're the only other male member of the group aside from Mr. Tejada, I was wondering what it is like to work with a woman out in the field. The NCR is very equal in terms of genders so is it any different to fight among a woman than fighting among a man? Fighting beside each other, did your view on the Courier change because of this?"_**

 _"This conversation is over."_

 _(Recording end)_

xxx

The group was on their way to New Vegas once more and the Lone Wanderer thought about the last night the Legion attacked their camp. She shivered and reminded herself that everyone of her deaths had to have consequences in the future. It took her many times before she figured out the pattern of the Legion assassins before she could successfully fend off the attackers with little to no damage to the group. Katherine was blissfully aware of the seemingly perfect shots the Wanderer fired at the different locations the Legionnaires were coming from, but she knew Boone had noticed something. Even though he didn't say anything she observed how he changed around her. He stiffened when she talked to him and avoided meeting her gaze.

She sighed and remembered the other little adventure the group had before setting off towards New Vegas. They disabled something called Archimedes-II at the HELIOS power plant, which thanks to Boone was no problem to get into and the Wanderer was sure that it had to be a weapon of some sort. She didn't want to find out and figured it was better to supply the whole region with electricity than to experiment with unknown technology and made sure no one could tamper with the consoles afterwards. Her doubts had been confirmed when a Follower of the Apocalypse approached them and warned them of the potential danger of the plant. She smiled and groaned inwardly when she remembered how the conversation had played out, as Katherine answered the questions before the Wanderer had a chance to open her mouth.

 _"It is unusual to see a new face here. Are you a soldier, or a scientist?"_

 _"ME PET AMINALS!"_

 _"Interesting...Forgive me for prying, but I'm curious. Are you with a particular group?"_

 _"I with me."_

 _"Then for everyone's sake, I hope you serve a worthy master. Are you a maker of war, or peace"_

 _"PIZZA!"_

Before Katherine could say more the Wanderer shoved her to Boone and took over from there. Now as they were walking towards New Vegas the Wanderer noticed once more how blissfully ignorant the girl was towards her surroundings. She seemed to have taken a liking to Boone and was walking with him all the time, pointing to things she found interesting and saying something with her broken speech. The veteran sniper seemed awkward around here but Katherine didn't seem to notice.

The Wanderer smiled at the scene before her and clicked through her Pip-Boy to play some music. They still had a few hours of travel ahead of them.

xxx

(Recording start)

 ** _"Ms. Santangelo-"_**

 _"Veronica is fine."_

 ** _"Alright Veronica, it is a great pleasure to have this interview with you. A few months ago no one would have imagined that the NCR and the Brotherhood of Steel would be working side by side as allies. How does that make you feel?"_**

 _"I'm thrilled to say the least. I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome. I always feared the day that the Brotherhood would have to fight against the Legion or NCR and I had no high hopes of us winning the battle. I'm glad we could work out a beneficial agreement for both sides. I think the next years will show how much can be gained from our alliance. I think many people in the Brotherhood feel the same way."_

 ** _"Is it true that the courier played a large role in getting both sides together?"_**

 _"Yes, but ultimately it was the Courier's friend who convinced our Elder to agree to the treaty. She was a Brotherhood soldier herself but from another Chapter. She told me that where she comes from the Brotherhood is actually massive in size and has great influence, because they help the citizen where they're from."_

 ** _"Really? Did she say where she was coming from?"_**

 _"Yes, but I'm afraid I can't disclose this information as she asked me not to. I'm sure she has her reasons though."_

 ** _"Thank you for time Veronica. It's been a pleasure."_**

 _(Recording end)_

xxx

The group of misfits soon reached the outer perimeter of New Vegas and decided to spend the night at the Crimson Caravan Company. The Wanderer remembered how Cass told her that earning money would be easy and fast. That's exactly what the group needed right now. They picked up a girl named Veronica when they passed Trading Post 188. Feeding and keeping everyone geared up was getting tricky and the Wanderer didn't want to spent all the time scavenging. They also passed through Boulder City and the Khans, the men who attacked them confirmed that New Vegas was indeed the location of the man who shot Katherine in the head. The Khans had hostages so the group refrained from attacking anybody and once again the Lone Wanderer hoped that it wouldn't bite them in the ass later.

Veronica was Brotherhood as they found out shortly after inviting her to the group and the Lone Wanderer was thankful to have someone she could relate to. Even though she grew up in a Vault, the time in the Brotherhood was a whole different life to her and she had lots of stories to share with the young brunette. The Wanderer confided in Veronica about Sarah and she in turn told her about her love that could never be.

Before the group decided to get to work, Veronica suggested they bring Katherine to Dr. Usanagi to get an intelligence implant. She wasn't sure if it would help much, but at least they would get some more information on her condition. Veronica offered to pay for the implant since she hated to see "a young pretty girl in the prime of her life like this" and explained that working undercover meant she would get a decent amount of Caps each time she would leave the hidden Brotherhood bunker. After some consideration the Lone Wanderer took Katherine to the clinic and let the group sort out what kind of job they would be taking.

xxx

 ** _"So...uh...ED-E. You've been with the Courier for a long time now, is that correct?"_**

 _"BEEP BEEP"_

 ** _"I can't believe they're making me to talk to a stupid robot."_**

 _"ANGRY BEEP"_

 _"_ ** _Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean...I...I...holy shit, you're smart?"_**

 _"HAPPY BEEP"_

 ** _"Well then, I guess I just have to ask my questions differently."_**

 _(throat clearing)_

 ** _"How do you feel about the NCR?"_**

 _"HAPPY BEEP"_

 ** _"Okay, how about the Legion?"_**

 _"ANGRY BEEP"_

 ** _"Do you like the Courier?"_**

 _"HAPPY BEEP"_

 ** _"How about the Courier's friend?"_**

 _"HAPPY BEEP"_

 ** _"I've heard rumors about her departure, how does that make you feel?"_**

 _"SAD BEEP"_

 ** _"Will you continue to fight alongside the Courier?"_**

 ** _"_** _DETERMINED BEEP"_

 ** _"Alright, thank you ED-E. And again, forgive me for calling you stupid."_**

 _"HAPPY BEEP"_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The Lone Wanderer was sitting in the operating room of Dr. Usanagi, nervously awaiting her test results. During the long walk from Nipton to Dr. Usanagi the Lone Wanderer had several blackouts followed by immense pain and nose bleeds. It happened during their track to Mojave Outpost as well, but she didn't think much of it, but the frequency of it was rather disturbing and she didn't want to take any chances.

They spent their time side tracking of their main goal as it was, helping people out in Freeside and resolving Cass's business with the Crimson Caravan, killing Alice McLafferty and the Van Graff siblings in the process. She realized that they could've gone the legal way through the NCR, but she much rather preferred swift and harsh justice as did Cass. She was the one who voiced her concern about the Lone Wanderer, when the frequency of her nosebleeds and blackouts started to increase and the Wanderer was silently thankful for her support. She didn't want to admit it, but her inability to die was both a blessing and a curse. Many times she found herself correcting her own or the mistakes of their companions, saving their lives by taking her own.

She didn't talk about it to anyone and apart from Boone nobody noticed the accuracy of her actions. She was glad that he didn't push the matter, but she could tell it was eating away at him, how she seemingly knew where the next Legion squad would attack next or if someone was about to step into a trap or on an explosive device. It was a useful ability, that she knew, but with the horrible side effects she was afraid that it might cost her, her sanity.

Katherine did get the implant Veronica paid for her and against all odds it had a positive effect on her mental health. She was still talking in short sentences, but at least she refrained from saying anything dumb, like she did at the HELIOS power plant. Dr. Usanagi confirmed that her clinic could not possible heal such a drastic wound to the head, but she was sure that the Old World must have had devices capable of such a feat. A strange man visited her clinic once and sold her some equipment she had never seen before. One such device was an upgrade to her Auto-Doc which essentially made surgeries easier for her and raised their success rate noticeably. He didn't answer any of the doctor's questions but instead gave her a radio frequency and said "The right person will know what to do with it". He was a curious fellow, but dangerously so, so she didn't push it any further. The Lone Wanderer made sure to check it out later, as she felt that it might give some insight of where the equipment came from.

Now all she had to do was await the doctor's results and hope they weren't too grave. After explaining her symptoms the woman decided to put the Lone Wanderer in a strange tube, explaining that she will be able to monitor her brain activity. She had never seen or heard about such a piece of technology before, even though her father was a good doctor and she herself wasn't half bad. She had figured it couldn't hurt and she was examined for thirty minutes. Afterwards Dr. Usanagi told her to come back a few days later and do the procedure again until they had valid results to go on.

After several days she was sitting in the operating room and dreadfully awaiting the doctors insights.

After what felt like an eternity the door finally opened and a grim looking Dr. Usanagi entered the room, closing the door behind her. The Lone Wanderer felt her stomach sink and the doctor took a seat in front of her.

"Alright, I have the results of the examination and I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you."

"Well, out with it!" the Lone Wanderer said scared, hoping against hope that the doctor was exaggerating .

"Well it's a little complicated. I haven't seen results exactly like these before. Even with countless of people coming into the clinic every day, it's quite a marvelous find if I may say so."

"So what did you find?" the Lone Wanderer asked getting impatient.

The doctor picked up on this and pointed to the outer lining of the cerebral cortex of the Lone Wander's CT-scan slide.

"This is where we're finding most of the hemorrhaging, the outer lining of the cerebral cortex. It is the part where your memories are stored. Well to be quite honest I've never seen anything like this. I've compared these to the ones taken from a few days ago and there's evidence of severe hemorrhaging and massive neural reconstruction."

"So you're saying…"

"Yes, it's like years worth of new memories have been jammed in your brain in the last few days. If your brain was a room and the memories people, the room would be overcrowded and more people try to get into the same room. Your brain is significantly aging faster than that of a normal person, almost as if you gain more knowledge than the average person around you. Say, what did you do the last few days after I send you away?"

"I've been doing some odd jobs here and there. Visiting Camp McCarran and generally helping out people around the area. Sloan comes to mind…"

"Hmm, well it sounds like you're doing mercenary work, so I can't pinpoint the source of your memories. To put it quite frankly, your brain looks more like the brain of an old person and you're barely in your mid twenties!"

"What…what does this mean for me? For my future?" the Lone Wanderer asked concerned. If this got worse she would end up dead (Hah, right!) or worse, end up insane.

"Like I said it is the first time I have had such results during a scan and I can only say that it can and probably will get worse in the future. Madness or Death are very likely outcomes. I am very sorry for this."

They both sat in silence for a while before the Wanderer got up and thanked the doctor for her efforts. She would make the best of her situation and made up her mind to at least bring peace to the Mojave, one way or the other.

xxx

 _(Recording start)_

" _ **Hello Mr. Gannon. You're a hard man to track down."**_

 _(Chuckle)_

" _ **But I am good at finding people if I say so myself."**_

 _(Nervous voice)_

" _What is this? What game are you playing!?"_

" _ **Game? I'm sorry I didn't make it clear enough, but I'm here to collect information on the famous heroes from the Battle of Hoover Dam. What can you tell me about the Courier?"**_

" _You're crazy, you know the answer already, why do we keep having this pointless conversations. You came to finish the job didn't you!"_

" _ **I'm sorry if I have offended in any way Mr. Gannon but I assure you-"**_

" _STOP IT! Is this your way to get revenge for something I didn't even have a part of? Come on finish it already and turn that damn thing off!"_

 _ **(Loud feet shuffling)**_

 _ **(Loud Bang)**_

 _(Recording End)_

xxx

The revelation of her mental state was something that the Wanderer took very hard, but at the same time she made it clear to everyone that she would not let it stop her already started endeavor to bring the rule of the NCR to New Vegas and its surroundings. The group of misfits consisted of 10 members by now.

Katherine the cheerful but rather slow Courier, ED-E the loyal flying radio and death machine, Boone the ever-stoic Sniper, Veronica the Brotherhood of Steel Member, Cass the angry Whisky-Rose, Raul the Vaquero, Rex the Robo-Dog, Arcade the Scientist, Lily the grandmotherly Super Mutant and the Lone Wanderer.

Of all the companions Arcade Gannon was the most reluctant to follow and it seemed to be having to do with the Lone Wanderer. But no one knew why and they didn't further push the subject.

The small group made a name for themselves among the Mojave Desert. Everyone knew the stories of how the group eradicated the Fiend or how they killed Mr. House in his own Casino or how they killed the heads and members of the three Casinos in New Vegas. They were friend to the poor and needy and foe to the rich and subjugating. An independent New Vegas was more likely with each passing day until one early morning the Lone Wanderer announced over the speakers that were distributed over The Strip and Freeside that from now on the NCR would be taking care of organizing and leading the region.

It was only hours afterwards everyone had realized what truly happened. The Battle of Hoover Dam could be heard from the outer regions of the Mojave Desert but the loudness of Freeside and The Strip made it impossible to notice the ongoing fires over at the dam. When a giant aircraft flew over the city the people had mistaken it for a show of power from the Boomers, not realizing that at this very moment history was being written by men and women who bled for their very believes at the dam. The Lone Wanderer finally found her old gear in the apartment of Benny, the man who so cowardly tried to execute her friend in the graveyard if Good Springs and made good use of it. The Legion was mostly in disarray during the battle, standing no real chance and having no true leader after the Wanderer took care of Caser during one night. Her stealth suit made it especially easy and before anyone had noticed what had happened she was already on her way back over the river.

Arcade Gannon reluctantly helped the Wanderer after she threatened to eradicate the Enclave Remnants, telling him he should be grateful that after what his group did back in Washington he got a chance to redeem himself.

The Great Khans left the Mojave as promised to lay roots elsewhere, leaving the whole region to NCR control.

The Brotherhood of Steel were valued allies during and after the great battle and were held in high esteem by both citizen and military. Now only the future can tell what will happen to this distinct group of warriors.

As for the misfits, they each went to follow their respective ways, after the Wanderer made it clear that the only adventure left was to help her and Katherine get their minds fixed. The vehicle that the Wanderer used to come to the Mojave Desert was sadly taken apart by the hired thugs of Benny since he didn't care about himself and so the Wanderer would be forced to rebuild it or find an alternative.

She and Katherine made their way towards the radio frequency that her Pip-boy picked up after Dr. Usanagi gave her the numbers. She hoped their search was not in vain. The Battle of Hoover Dam has taken a great toll on her mind since dying over and over was a necessary evil to win the war and so it has taken its toll on her mind.

xxx

 _(Recording1 Start)_

" _ **This place is strange, I have no memories of how I got here. Katherine and me have been separated and I'm on some sort of balcony overlooking a bunch of domes. I will make audio logs in case I won't make it, haha yeah right. But seriously should something really happen then the next person to come here will maybe be spared a same fate. I'm going to explore this place for a while, see where it will lead me."**_

 _(Recording 1 End)_

 _xxx_

 _(Recording 2 Start)_

" _ **Oh shit, I finally found Katherine and it looks like she is being questioned by some floating monitors. Knew this place was crazy the moment I saw the talking toaster. I'm going to listen in on their conversation, maybe I can help her"**_

 _(Recording 2 End)_

 _xxx_

 _(Recording 3 Start)_

" _ **Well looks like I didn't have to worry after all, the crazy robots actually fixed the head of Katherine, or rather their Auto-Doc did it. I'm glad I didn't got my brain sliced up like the rest of the people walking around the place, must be my missing chunk of brain."**_

" _No shit, I'm telling you we should get out of here while we have the chance, let them worry about their own fucking problem. Didn't we come to fix my head in the first place?"_

" _ **Yes Katherine we did, but you don't have your brain back yet."**_

" _Shit, I forgot. Alright, guess we have to keep playing their stupid games ugh."_

" _ **Sorry, I'm sure it will work out in the end"**_

 _(Recording 3 End)_

 _xxx_

 _(Recording 4 Start)_

" _Are you… my brain?"_

" _ **Ah lovely, figured that out, have we? Would you like a cookie?"**_

" _Hey! Why are you such a dick?"_

" _ **Well that's a fine how-do-you-do! A, quote, dick, unquote. As if I'm the one responsible for the way you carry on, gadding about the Wastes." I'm not the one that makes us clamber around tetanus-infested ancient Vaults or go charging off to New Vegas on missions of ill-conceived revenge!"**_

" _ **And have we forgotten who gut us shot in the head and buried in a shallow grave? Hmm? Do you think I enjoyed that little moment?"**_

" _Listen, you're my brain, so you'd better be more respectful!"_

" _ **Oh, had I? What exactly will you do if I don't? Not put me back in that cranial dungeon you call your head? Heavens forbid!"**_

" _Once you're back in my head, I'll watch television. Lots. And lots. Of television."_

" _ **You... you wouldn't! That's inhuman!"**_

" _You bet I do"_

" _ **Alright, fine. I'll be more respectful…M'am"**_

" _Good, that's better. Now here's what's going to happen…"_

 _(Recording 4 End)_

xxx

At the end of their little adventure Katherine and the Lone Wanderer formed a close bond of friendship and were deciding what their next step of action was. Katherine's wound and her mental state had been cured but the Lone Wanderer was getting worse with each day. Sometimes Katherine caught here talking with herself as if someone was sitting next to her and other times she wound her passed, in the little room they both were staying, out with blood running down her nose. If it were up to her, they would be searching every place of scientific significance, but the choice as it was, lay with the Lone Wanderer and she was not sure what she was going to do.

 **A) Spend more time at Big MT and search for a cure (Chapter 9)**

 **B) Go back to New Vegas and further help the NCR (Chapter 10)**

 **C) Repair a vehicle and drive back home (Chapter 11)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 **A) Search for a Cure**

The Lone Wanderer, visibly scared for her mental health decided to spend more time searching the old labs for information how to cure her mental state. The Auto-Docs could only heal real wounds like in Katherine's case and their attempts resulted in failure.

The crazed scientists in the Think Tank could not come up with an explanation for all their intelligence and so they were forced to look for answers elsewhere.

Getting more desperate with each day the Lone Wanderer would start off early in the morning and search through every corner and lab she would come across. Eventually she found a laboratory almost buried beneath the rubble outside at the border of Big MT. With new hope flaring up she started to clear the door so she could open it enough to get inside. The place looked identical to the other labs, but the difference was the scientific pursuit of this lab. From notes and old computer entries it seemed that the scientists of this place tried to create a portal to control time and space, though the start of the Great War made them drop the project entirely. Now decades later the Lone Wanderer was the first soul to enter the dusty and abandoned place.

Further in the lower sections she found a round platform with strange arches above it. They all connected in the middle by a big ball that reminded her of the pictures she saw in a book about Nikola Tesla. Curiosity overtook her and she decided against getting Katherine and stepped on the platform. A switch was next to one of the arches and she pulled it down. As if paralyzed she was unable to move and the big ball above her sparked with energy and surrounded her with static energy. Before she knew what was happening, a bolt of lightning shot from the ball directly at her and she felt herself being pulled in different directions. She could see all the colors of the rainbow, though they seemed to flow into each other like water. It was bright and a strange sensation of cold and warm overcame her.

The feelings were coming from two different directions she was sure of it, but she didn't know which way she should keep going. The warm felt pleasant, even nostalgic, it was hard to explain, while the cold felt free and wild. Like at many points in her life she had to make a decision.

 **A) Follow the warm sensation (Continue reading)**

 **B) Follow the cold sensation (Read "Dark Wings unfurled")**

xxx

She decided to follow the warm sensation as it gave her a good feeling and she found the closer she walked towards the warmth the darker it got around her. The colors vanished slowly leaving her surrounded by darkness until she could see and feel nothing. She panicked and started to run around but the effect stayed the same. It was dark, a void and nothingness. Was this her fate? To die in a place where no one knew her name? A place she couldn't even imagine in her worst nightmares. Just as she was about to break down a soothing voice called out to her.

" **Do not be afraid, young one. Nothing here can harm you. I created this place for the sole purpose of talking with you. I imagine you have many questions."**

The Wanderer looked up to see a ghostly apparition stand in front of her. It looked human, but she could not make out genders. It's voice seemed to have no gender but at the same time it did. She could not explain it. The Lone Wanderer didn't fear it though, as the feeling of warmth was back and it seemed to be radiating from this being in front of her. When she found her voice again she asked "W-Who are you?

" **I am many things. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, Life and Death, Creation and Destruction. I am and I am not."**

"Y-you're God?"

" **In a sense, yes, but also no. I am you, but also not you. I have always been and will always be."**

"You said you wanted to talk to me?"

" **Yes, but it is you who wanted to talk to me. You just didn't know it. You must have many questions. Questions about your existence, about the world. Ask and I will answer."**

The Wanderer thought about what she wanted to ask. So many possibilities. This being here, one she could not imagine to comprehend gave her the chance to find out who she truly was, why she was unable to die and most importantly what it would mean for her future.

"I have a question about me. Why can't I die? Why am I cursed to suffer through the same situations over and over again only to find myself in different situations with the same outcome? It feels like my whole life is hell. There is no release from the anguish that overshadows our world! Why!?" she demanded, pleadingly so.

" **You are a being that was created for the sole purpose of bringing uncertainty to life. Where others are beings of "No" and "Yes" you are at most a "Maybe". You are human in this life, but you are also not. Something more. You exist in many forms and many genders. Beings like you are born in times of great change or suffering. What you do with your gifts is up to you. There are no rules, no wrong or right, they do not apply to you. When you die you don't cease to exist, but the World around you does. The world does not revolve around you, but you are fit to shape it as you say fit. Many beings like you existed and continue to exist. Your friend Katherine is as you are, she just doesn't know it yet.**

" **You imagine the world as one single dimension, as one flow of time. But just as time goes forwards and backwards, so does the world exist in many dimensions. This world, your world exists next to many other worlds who are the same as yours, but not quite like it. Each and every world is unique, but also the same. In each and every world you exist and will exist to bring forth change until your destiny is completed. Each cycle and each world has its own versions of you. You are not alone and your fate is not yet completed, that is why you are still alive and unable to die. What your fate is? That is not for me to decide. Just as you are a being of maybe so is your fate and nothing can change that."**

It was a lot to take in and the Lone Wanderer didn't know how to respond. How can a single mind comprehend this information? How can she go on living her life when she knew how vast and complicated it all really was.

"Then…then show me. I want to see myself in the different worlds you spoke of. I want to know that what you say is true and not an elaborate fantasy of my own mind. Maybe I am truly mad by now and do not know it."

" **As you wish young one. Give me your hands"**

The Lone Wanderer took the hands of this otherworldly being and immediately a sharp pain went through her head as memories of different times and versions of herself flooded her mind.

" _Why do you humans enjoy leaping so much?"_

" _ **Get off my lawn you sonofabitch!"**_

 _..._

" _ **Some asshole's in my pool!"**_

It was a strange feeling, like she knew exactly where those places were and who she was at that moment, but the memories didn't stop there.

" _ **I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the citadel."**_

 _..._

" _ **I am Dragonborn? What does that mean?**_

 _Intense pain once again shot through the Wanderer's head._

" _Do you get to the cloud district very often? Oh, what am I saying? Of course you don't. I'll have you know that there's no Pussieeeeeee-"_

 _..._

" _ **I never asked for this."**_

 _..._

" _Have I ever told you the definition of insanity?"_

 _..._

" _The right man at the wrong place can make all the difference."_

 _..._

" _What is the truth?"_

" _ **We place faith in ourselves. We see the world as it really is and hope that one day all mankind might see the same."**_

" _What is the world, then?"_

" _ **An illusion. One we can either submit to, as most do, or transcend"**_

" _And what is it to transcend?"_

" _ **To recognize that law arise not from divinity, but reason. I understand now that our Creed does not command us to be free. It commands us to be wise."**_

 _..._

" _ **Endure and survive."**_

 _..._

" _A man chooses a slave obeys."_

 _..._

" _To be alive, to walk this earth, that's the real curse right there."_

The flood of memories became increasingly harder to comprehend and the Lone Wanderer felt her vision darken.

"S-stop! Please!" she begged unable to endure it any longer.

" **Very well young one. I have given you but a glimpse of the reality we find ourselves in."**

"No more, I want to go home and see my friends, I don't want this knowledge!"

" **I'm afraid this will not be possible. You see, I was like you once. Until I became the very being you see before you. It is time that we switch places. You will be watcher, free from the torments of the world, until one day a being like you finds itself in the same position you found yourself in. And when that day comes you will set free."**

Whit that the, being in front of her, pulled out a short sword from its chest and handed the sword to the Lone Wanderer. The horror was clearly written on her face, she did not want to spend an eternity in the place. Being a watcher or whatever it was the ghost was doing. She shakily took the sword and the being told her to stab it through the chest. It was the only way out of here. With the realization that there was no other way it can end the Wanderer rammed he sword with a scream through her own heart, hoping to change her mistake. To change the course of her life.

But it never came. The once immortal Wanderer was dead, her soul, truly free of the curse of life. The ghost smiled knowingly and vanished into the void, leaving nothing but darkness.

 **Epilogue**

A confused Katherine woke up only to find her friend missing. Searching Big MT proofed futile and with a heavy heart she left the place, thinking her friend didn't want to have her around anymore.

Back in New Vegas she was met with great enthusiasm by the misfits and Katherine decided to form her own elite band of warriors searching for adventure and glory among the Wastelands of America.

The group traveled to Washington where the disappearance of the Lone Wanderer made waves. To this day the great story of the Battle of Hoover Dam tell of a great and ferocious soldier who fought like the devil himself on the battlefield and talked with a silver tongue that could persuade even the greatest tyrant.

 **The End**

 **AN:**

 **I finally got around to finishing this possible string of the story and I hope you enjoyed it so far. Just like the other decisions there is no real wrong or right, just a possible outcome. I hope you enjoyed it.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 **B) Going back to New Vegas**

 **Epilogue**

The Wanderer decided it was no use and hoped her mental state would not deteriorate further. Going back to New Vegas with Katherine the two decided they would help the NCR to stabilize the city. It was there that the two gathered their companions once more and celebrated Katherine's healing process, blissfully unaware of the condition of the Lone Wanderer.

After months had passed the state of the Wanderers mind got worse and she found herself losing her identity. She found it hard to remember names and people, even forgetting who she was. With the loss of her personality came the birth of a new one. The Lone Wanderer would walk around asking people she knew about the events of the Battle of Hoover Dam, even going so far as to ask questions about herself.

Katherine who rose fast and far through the ranks of the NCR made it explicitly clear that she didn't want anyone to tell her that she was the Lone Wanderer and treat as the reporter she identified herself with. They owed their hero that much. It was strange for the other companions at first, but soon they accepted the fact that she probably would never be herself again and tried to make it as easy for her as possible. Some days she seemed to have regained her own personality only to lose herself in her detective role once again, seemingly unable to find the answers she has been looking for.

Contact was established with the other Chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel, but they didn't want to travel the distance to get one demented woman out of the desert, much to the Lyon Pride's disapproval.

As the year passed the Wanderer became a widely known reporter, taking on the personality of it wholly and forgetting her old Wanderer persona. She would die a peaceful old woman who was finally set free from the curse of life.

 **The End**

 **AN:**

 **One possible ending to this story. I know I pretty much summarized a bunch of story from the game, but I'm really too lazy and unmotivated to write lengthy plots. Small stories like this fit my writing style better, I think. Also, the reason why I don't give the Lone Wanderer a name or closer description of her appearance is because I'd like to leave it to the reader's imagination. Her gender is the only fixed trait in the story. Hope you enjoyed it.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 **C) Going Home**

 **Epilogue**

The Wanderer decided she had enough and wanted to leave Big MT and especially the Mojave Desert behind. As much as it pained her to accept her mental state she wanted to at least be with people she knew before she completely lost her mind.

With the help of the greatest mechanical minds and Raul they were able to restore one of the old car wreckages, even going so far as to include new ideas to help recharge the car faster.

The NCR wanted to honor every soldier that fought at the Battle of Hoover Dam during a planned ceremony, but the Wanderer didn't want to stay around any longer than was necessary and refused to attend.

Katherine, Boone and ED-E joined the Wanderer on her way home, having no other plans for the future. Katherine used the opportunity to verify the stories the Wanderer has told her during their drive towards New Vegas and was pleasantly surprised that most of them weren't exaggerated.

Back home the Wanderer was welcomed with great enthusiasm by the surrounding settlements and Three Dog who broadcasted the return of their "Messiah" across the Capital Wasteland. The Brotherhood of Steel offered the two new companions a position in the Brotherhood, but they kindly refused, sticking to the Lone Wanderer wherever her journey may lead.

The Wanderer re-opened Vault 101 and made it a successful trading hub in the Capital Wasteland. The quiet life and close proximity to old faces somewhat soothed her troubled mind and aside from the occasional blackout and nosebleed, her mind stayed sane until the day of her death.

 **The End**

 **AN:**

 **One possible outcome to the story. I hope you enjoyed it so far and I'll make sure to correct any mistakes in older chapters. I will definitely finish the other two stories as well and I'll probably keep them in the same length format, as it is a lot easier for me to write. I hope you enjoyed it.**


End file.
